Grille structure



Nov. 30, 1937; c. T, PERKHQS 2,100,767

GRILLE STRUCTURE Filed March 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l KBMDM $17M 5 Char/Q5 TFerkms Nov. 30, 1937., Q ERK NS I 2,100,767

GRILLE STRUCTURE Filed March 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Char/E5 TFer/ans Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF'IQE GRILLE STRUCTURE Application March 13, 1936, Serial No. 68,643

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in grilles for openings, and refers particularly to a grille structure for radiator cabinets.

Heating and air conditioning systems now generally utilize the fin type of heat exchanger or radiator which is either concealed within the wall of the room or enclosed within metal cabinets. In each instance, openings must be provided to permit the circulation of air through the heat exchanger and into the room.

These openings are generally provided with grilles, which, besides providing a partial closure for the openings, are utilized as decorative agents to enhance the appearance of the wall openings or cabinets. Heretofore, it has been customary to stamp these grilles out of a solid sheet of metal which, in some instances, also formed part of the wall or part of the cabinet. This procedure entailed the use of large dies, and a separate die for each style and size of grille, which obviously restricted the range of designs and sizes.

With these and other limitations and objections of past and existing grille structures for this purpose in mind, this invention has as one of its objects to provide an entirely new and improved manner of making a grille of this character whereby many different designs may be made up and any desired length of grille readily constructed without the expense of special dies.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grille of sectional construction composed of a plurality of separate units or sections, standard only as to certain dimensions and capable of being assembled to produce grilles of a wide variety 5 of designs and appearances.

Another object of this invention is to provide simple and practical means for holding a plurality of grille forming units in proper assembled relationship.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a radiator cabinet, illustrating the application of this invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged front view showing one section or unit of the grille;

Figure 4 is a cross section view taken through Figure 3 on the plane of the line 4-4;

Figures 5 and 6; and

Figures '7 and 8; and

Figures 9 and 10 are front and sectional views similar to'Figures 3 and 4, respectively, but showing different modifications of the invention; and

Figure 11 is a detail section view through Figure '7 on the plane of the line I|-l l.

7 Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates a conventional sheet metal radiator cabinet provided in the present instance with legs 6 which space the same from the floor so that the air may enter the lower portion thereof to flow upwardly through the heat exchanger (not shown), and be discharged out into the room through a grilled opening I in the front wall of the cabinet.

In forming the cabinet, the opening 1 is cut into its front wall, or otherwise formed in any desired manner, and its upper and lower marginal edges 8 and 9, respectively, are so formed as to provide means for the attachment of a plurality of individual grille sections or units, indicated generally by the numeral It).

The marginal edges 8 and 9 are parallel, and, as stated, may be shaped to provide means for attaching or mounting the grille sections, or they may be provided with separate attaching means to hold the grille sections in place, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Where the marginal edges are themselves shaped and formed to provide the attaching means, inwardly directed horizontal flanges II are provided, as shown in Figure 4. The flanges H are provided with a number of holes l2 to receive teats or projections I3 on the ends of the grille sections I 0. With this construction, it is thus only necessary to spring the marginal edges, and specifically their flanges ll sufliciently far to enable the engagement of the teats I3 into the holes l2.

The grille sections In may be of any desired width and shape as long as their length is correct for proper engagement with the horizontal edges of the opening. They may be stamped from sheet metal of sufiicient thickness to give them the required rigidity, or they may be formed of thinner sheet metal with a U-shaped or similar cross section in all their parts, as specifically shown in Figures 7, 8, and 11. The grille sections also may be die-cast with all portions thereof having a solid cross section.

While it is desirable from the standpoint of flexibility of assembly to have all of the grille sections relatively narrow, wider units may be provided and secured in position, as specifically shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment of the invention, the grille is composed of one wide central section l4, two narrower end sections l5, and intermediate sections l6, like those shown in Figures 1, and 3 to 10, inclusive.

The specific manner of attaching the grille sections to the marginal edges 8 and 9 likewise is capable 'of substantial modification, and in Figures 5 and 6, a manner of clamping the sections in place is illustrated. In this embodiment of the invention elongated strips or bars I! having a right angular cross section are secured to the marginal edges 8 and 9 by bolts I8. The ends of the grille sections are interposed between these strips and the adjacent rear faces of the edge portions 8 and 9 where they are clamped by tightening the bolts l8.

Another manner of securing the grille sections in place is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. In this embodiment of the invention the marginal portions 8 and 9 of the opening have outwardly pressed beads 20, the extreme edges of which lie in planes spaced outwardly from the plane of the front wall in which the opening is formed. Secured to the front wall with an edge portion thereof disposed in back of the beads 20 are metal strips 2i and 22. The edges of these strips are adapted to have a tongue and groove engagement with the ends of the grille sections, and if desired to facilitate the engagement and disengagement of the sections with the strips, the strip 22 may be provided with a transverse loop, as shown, so that the outer free edge thereof is resiliently retained in position.

The manner of securing the sections in place, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, also embodies the idea of resilient strips secured to the inner faces of the cabinet wall adjacent the marginal edges 8 and 9, but in this instance, the strips 23 resiliently engage in notches 24 formed in the back of the sections to hold the same in place against the marginal beads 20.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that this invention provides a substantial improvement over past grille structures for use especially in radiator cabinets and enclosures, and that the limitations as to design and length of openings inherent in past constructions are entirely obviated by the grille of this invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

A grilled front for convector enclosures and the like, comprising a sheet metal wall having a transverse opening therein with its top and bottom marginal edges parallel, a plurality of individual grille sctions of different shapes and configurations all of which have a height to span the vertical distance between the upper and lower marginal edges of said transverse opening, and cooperating means on said upper and lower edges of the opening and the upper and lower extremities of the individual grille sections for readily detachably securing the grille sections to said marginal edge portions at different points along their length so that said sections 001- lectively form a grille across said opening, which grille has any one of a wide variety of designs depending upon the selection of the different sections and their arrangement across the opening, and said cooperating means by which the individual grille sections are secured to the marginal edges of the opening allowing removal and insertion of any section independently of the other sections.

CHARLES T. PERKINS. 

